


The Summoning Of Dead Relatives

by felinedetached



Series: Of Spectres And Witches [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Gen, Sibling Bonding Horray
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 16:24:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11339073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/felinedetached/pseuds/felinedetached
Summary: In which Rose is dramatic, Dirk was (and still is) an idiot, and death is no border for those with intent.





	The Summoning Of Dead Relatives

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EzzyAlpha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyAlpha/gifts).



> Alternate title: "Happy Birthday Ezzy U Fuck"
> 
> But seriously, happy birthday, you now have this in your list of gifts.
> 
> Love you, you dork.

You set up the summoning circle, careful that you don’t mess up the chalk as you move. The black dress was, quite honestly, a stupid choice for this endeavour. It drags along the floor as you walk, picking up chalk particles. You eventually hike up the sides, tucking it into your belt. Now it’s only down to your knees - still restrictive, but less likely to mess with your work. It also looks a lot less dramatic, but sometimes you have to make sacrifices for the sake of practicality.

 

It’s dark, atmospheric. The candlestick you are carrying with you blows out in a breeze coming from somewhere. You’re not entirely sure where. That only increases the effect of the atmosphere you worked so hard to cultivate, and you silently thank any god listening for the help. It gives you the chance to utilise the magic you know, and whisper a spell to relight the candles. The same spell again, louder this time, makes the candles in your hand flare as every other candle in the room lights. Perfect.

 

A pity no one is here to see.

 

Oh well, you’re going to change that pretty soon. Summoning a ghost is actually surprisingly easy - especially so if you’ve met the ghost before and/or are related to them. In this case, you’ve got both. With the right intent, and the right circle, you could probably use any summoning spell to get the right result. The right circle being important - you have accidentally summoned gods before. Not that they weren’t interesting conversation, but you’re much more focused on summoning this ghost.

 

Said summoning, of course, works perfectly. He’s translucent, as you’d expect, in a pink hoodie and track pants. His hair is still immaculately styled, and he’s still wearing those damn shades.

 

He looks exactly like he did the last time you saw him, frozen at nineteen.

 

“Hey, Rose,” he says, “Figure out how to summon something?”

 

“I’ve been summoning things for years,” you reply, and you can  _ hear _ the irritation in your voice. The implication that you’d summon something with no practice is honestly probably perfectly accurate, but for something like this? Does he really think you’d summon him without making sure you could first?

 

How could he.

 

“Really? Didn’t think you’d ever summon anything, honestly. Thought you were smarter than that,” he tells you. 

 

“Well, obviously I’m not,” you reply. The two of you stand there - or float, in Dirk’s case - before you eventually break the glaring contest to smile at him. “I missed you.”

 

Dirk doesn’t reply for a bit, before he sighs.

 

“I missed you too, Rose.”

 

Great. Now for the real questions.

 

“So,” you start, “How’d you die?”

 

“Do you really want to know?” He replies, and now you’re hooked. You totally want to know - especially since he doesn’t want to tell you. This has got to be good. 

 

“Of course! Who wouldn’t want to know how their big brother died,” you reply, in that one voice that’s innocent, cloying. Just on that side of too sweet. 

 

“I don’t think anyone would want to know how their big brother died if they died of something as stupid as I did,” Dirk replies, a self-deprecating note in the humour lacing his voice. Now you  _ have _ to know.

 

“I really think they would!” You reply brightly, and you can tell that you sound fake as fuck. You don’t really care, other than it may prove you have ulterior motives. Or, essentially, may prove that you want to know because it could prove a very interesting thing to psychoanalyse. You shift and your skirt falls, causing a puff of air to flow around the area. A couple candles flicker, and Dirk flickers with them.

 

“Shit,” you hiss, freezing. You  _ knew _ this skirt was a bad idea. Dirk lets out a small chuckle, and for him that's pretty much a full-out belly laugh. It makes you smirk, looking up. He seems to make up his mind in that moment, and you sit back, relax, and wait for a story.

 

“Okay. I’ll tell you - but I’m only saying it once. I was trying to see how many horseshoe lucky charms I could swallow, and choked on one.”

 

You sit and stare at him for a second, before bursting into laughter.

 

“Holy shit,” you say through your laughter, “you  _ choked on a lucky charm _ ?”

 

“Yeah,” he says, smiling, “pretty much.”

 

You laugh again. He’s funnier than you remember - more open? Death did him good. God, you feel bad for thinking that. You feel really bad for thinking that.

 

It opens up an interesting path in his psyche though. 

 

“So,” he asks, “Why’d you summon me?”

 

“You’re my brother,” you reply, confused. “Why wouldn’t I want to see you?”

 

“I dunno,” he replies, “Because I was a terrible brother? Am a terrible brother?” He sounds so upset, and you want to… pat him? Or something. You put your hand out and try, but it just kinda goes straight through his shoulder. The wind from your movement makes a candle flicker again, and his image wavers. They’re getting low too - there isn’t much time left.

 

“You really aren’t,” you tell him, “and I would love to talk to you about that sometime.” His smile is sad, but more expressive than anything that he's said or done so far.

 

“The candles are getting low,” is his response, “We’ll have to talk some other time. Maybe find a more permanent alternative to candles.”

 

You laugh softly.

 

“Yeah, I’ll do that.”

 

The candle closest to you splutters and dies out. Dirk fades, that soft, almost wistful smile still on his face.

 

Sometimes you wish the Afterlife was closer to this realm.

**Author's Note:**

> Part two of my apology for missing the 7th update of Shooting Stars, with the constant reminder that I do actually have an active Tumblr [@felinedetached](https://felinedetached.tumblr.com)
> 
> EDIT: Now with fan art! Thanks to the wonderful [@cassandraooc](https://cassandraooc.tumblr.com/) who drew [this](https://felinedetached.tumblr.com/post/163842474033/cassandraooc-for-felinedetached-based-on-her) beautiful drawing of Rose and Dirk!


End file.
